Can't Bend Neck - Maybe Some Swelling In Throat

[Guest TaraCoachCougar]

This evening I took Cougar to the vet for a rewrap of his back leg boo boo and he gave him a treat which he crumbled and ate some bits off the floor (about 6pm). Just now as I ate some popcorn I threw some down on the floor for Cougar and he just looked at it. It's odd for him not to eat a few bits of my popcorn so I handed him a piece and he scarfed it up. I tested him again by throwing some down on the floor and again he could only drop his head where it was straight out from his body. He ate probably 10 pieces out of my hand/off the arm of the couch with no problem so it wasn't that he didn't want it.

 

I watched how Coach picked it up off the floor and she bent her head and her front shoulder dropped a little.

 

Feeling Cougar's neck, it feels thicker than Coach's. Of course he's bigger, but it may be a little swollen down each side of his neck. I hope he's not having an allergic reaction to something. If that were the case, I'd think his throat would close up not swell. The food went down without any problem and he ate all of his supper about 45 minutes ago from a raised feeder with no trouble.

 

He could be sore from traveling to the vet. We were out and about for 2 hours round trip and that is more activity than normal for him. At 11, he could have a touch of arthritis, but he has never not been able to bend his neck to the floor before. His corns are returning on both front paws again, but that has never stopped him from bending his neck before.

 

Any thoughts? Everytime something odd ball like this happens I getting all wierd feeling and almost break into a sweat. I just can't stand the thought that something might happen to my baby.

 

Should I massage neck and shoulder muscles or leave him alone?

 

 

 

Adding: Right now he is stretched out on my bed up against my husband just like normal. No signs of distress. We are headed back to the vet on Saturday for another rewrap so I'll make sure he checks him over good. May call tomorrow just to mention what happened tonight.

 

Thanks for listening. It makes me feel a teensy bit calmer.

[Guest wmlcml6]

Can you get acupuncture for Cougar? "One of our racers took a tumble on Friday, and our vet couldn't do acupuncture until Monday morning. Before the treatment, he could barely raise his head up, and the side to side range of motion was very limited. Afterward, his nose could touch his body and he was lifting his head for treats.

 

Maybe if he's overcompensating for the sore feet it's making his shoulder/neck muscles sore??? Just guessing here.

[Guest TaraCoachCougar]

Morning update:

 

Cougar slept well last night, however he still can't seem to bend his neck where his nose touches the ground.

 

Coach woke about 1pm for a potty break and Cougar got up when she came back in. He was reluctant to jump down from the bed, but he finally did and made it. He went to the back door, but never decided to go out, which he has been doing recently during the middle of the night.

 

This morning he ate from his raised feeder like normal, but then was reluctant to go out. I walked away to do something else figuring I'd take him out on leash by the front door (only 4 steps) in a little while. While I was gone, he did make it down the steps into the backyard. Did all business and came back up. He could not sniff the ground, but he may have dropped his head and little more than he did last night, but I really can't tell.

 

He just drank a little water from his raised feeder. Other than a dry nose and the stiff neck/front shoulders, he is acting pretty normally.

 

 

[grey14me]

maybe he hurt his neck jumping out of the car? I would definitely have the vet take a look

[Ragsysmum]

Mine acts this way when she pulls a muscle in her neck/shoulder area. She can't reach down to the ground to her water bowl so I have to watch when she wants to drink and lift it for her. She feeds from a raised bowl so that's not a problem. I just massage the whole area with gentle but firm circular hand strokes and it seems to ease it and she is usually OK in a couple of days. Seems to be a recurring injury with my 13 year old though and I've had other breeds with the same sort of thing especially our GSD's.

[Guest snowberry]

Herbie's had this a couple of times, when he's pulled a muscle down the side of his neck. He's usually been showing off the day before, running round in tight circles, that kind of thing. I've taken him to the vets for Metacam (or whatever painkiller/ anti-inflammatory the vet recommends) and he's generally OK again in a few days.

[Guest argolola]

He will be in my prayers.

[NeylasMom]

Neyla did this once after spending some time in the dog park. I figured she'd pulled a muscle but wanted to be sure it wasn't something neurologic so I took her into the vet. She got a steroid injection and some pain meds and was fine in a day or two. I would go that route before you start to worry too much. If it happens repeatedly, you might want to look into a ramp for the car and maybe limiting furniture privileges as he could be doing it jumping down.

[Guest TaraCoachCougar]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I spoke with my vet this afternoon and he feels it is probably a pulled muscle or something, similiar to how we might feel if we slept on our own necks wrong or turned the wrong way just right.

 

Since I've come home from work and dropped a few marshmallows on the floor, he attempted to bend his neck down further than last night, but only got about halfway down to the floor. He is hesitate to go down the back stairs to potty (although many times he doesn't want to go out immediately anyway, but I'm a few minutes later than normal). And I just spotted him using the cloth covered storage trunk I purchased for them to use as a midpoint to our bed and he only had his front feet on there and the back were still on the floor. I guess he gave up as I just sneaked a peak and he's laying on his dog bed on the floor.

 

Anyway, vet said if it wasn't better by tomorrow morning, he would have me run down and pick up an anti-inflammantory instead of just waiting until Sat. to have him checked over when we are scheduled to go back for a rewrap.

 

I'll let you know how the evening goes.

 

Tara

[grey14me]

aww, poor baby...it does sound like he's hurting. he's just being very stoic about it

[Guest TaraCoachCougar]

Forgot to mention that Cougar was very jumpy when I let him out of his crate when I first got home this evening, which I took as a good sign as he usually bounces around for about 30-45 seconds at first.

 

He is resting and has gotten on my bed twice tonight. When he wouldn't go out to potty, I put him on a leash (more bouncing) and he raced down the 4 steps out of our main door. (Coach however, got her head shut in the door when I told her to stay in and she was trying to peak out as we went down the stairs.)

 

He ate from raised feeders and then did go down the backyard steps for #2 after he ate. This was on schedule for him. He was a little hesitate before he started, but he had no trouble making it down.

 

He can definately bend it down a little more than yesterday and side to side movement appears okay but maybe no full range.

 

I'm hoping another good night rest will help him in the morning. If not, I guess I'll pick up the anti-inflammatory.

 

Tara